


Look Again

by bookspark



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, M/M, annoying ron weasley, ooc James Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-21
Updated: 2008-08-21
Packaged: 2018-07-25 23:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7551904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookspark/pseuds/bookspark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Without Voldemort to take away the things most special to him, Harry Potter is  just a normal boy. Until his godfather is attacked and sent into a coma. Now Harry must figure out a way to keep Sirius’ money out of the Malfoy’s greedy hands and his mind out of Draco’s pants.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Look Again

_His mind backtracks, flying back through the past few weeks to his birthday. That was when all this had begun. That was when the Attack had happened. Perhaps he’d be able to figure things out… The thing is...the days have holes. Patches where things are missing, and he’s not sure whether he wants to find what happened or not..._

~ * ~ * ~

Harry Potter (who was _not_ the Boy Who Lived, _didn’t_ have a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his face and in fact had two _very alive_ parents) rolled over in bed, unceremoniously fell though thin air, and landed with a resounding THUMP on the wood floor.

Sirius Black (who was in fact _alive_ and well and living in Yorkshire) stopped trailing teasing kisses down his lover’s neck and bare back and looked toward the ceiling. Remus Lupin (who, though still a werewolf, had a moderately high level-job at the Ministry of Magic) moved onto his back and also looked up at the ceiling of the room he’d shared with Sirius for going on twenty years.

“You alright there, Harry?” Sirius called up to his godson, laughter and concern vying for control of his deep voice.

An indecipherable mumble and a few more muffled thumps was the only response the two adults received. Glancing at each other and grinning, they soon turned their attention back to where it had been before Harry had unintentionally interrupted.

Harry (after banging his knee on the wall trying to untangle himself from his blankets) slowly made his way back to his bed and sat down on it. Rubbing his knee, he reached for his glasses and put them on, blinking repeatedly in hopes of waking up a bit more. He yawned and stretched, wondering about the dream he had just had. It was the one with the huge snake and Ron’s little sister Ginny. He hadn’t had that one recently.

Making his way down the stairs on his way to the kitchen, he passed his godfathers’ room and stuck his head in the open doorway to say good morning.

“Good m- ARRRG!!! My eyes!” he moaned and turned around, heading straight to the kitchen. “Door! That’s _all_ I ask. For you two to _shut the bloody door_!!” Harry complained in the room’s general direction.

Sirius came out of the room with the sheet wrapped around his hips and Remus followed a moment later in a much better state of dress (khaki trousers and a shirt he finished buttoning up as he walked out of the room). 

“I don’t understand, Harry. You’ve lived with us off and on for most of your Hogwarts years, but only recently have you started erm- interrupting,” Sirius’ grey eyes flashed and he grinned. “Unless of course there’s something you’ve wanted to discuss with us...” He let letting the end of the sentence hang in the air.

Harry could feel his face flush a bright red and quickly turned around, trying to find something for his hands to do.

“Oh ho ho! What was that blush all about?!” Sirius said, wagging his finger playfully. “Come now! Don’t you want to tell your dear old godfathers? Have you got questions abut the technique or about potions you need to brew? You won’t want to go asking Snape for help with those... Unless? Ew—NO! _Please_ tell me it’s not Snivellus, anyone but him! That greasy-”

“Sirius, shut the fuck up.” Remus said suddenly, and both Harry and Sirius turned around to look at him in surprise. He was fairly quiet and mild mannered, except when drunk or it was near the full moon.

“Wha-” Sirius started before getting interrupted again.

“Look at him Sirius!” Remus exclaimed, pointing at Harry (who had gotten steadily redder and redder and had considered hiding in the cabinets). “Go put some clothes on and come back with a better attitude,” Remus said as he walked towards Harry.

Sirius’ mouth gaped as Remus ordered him about. Shutting it with a snap, he huffed off to the bedroom, dragging the sheet behind him like the train to some Muggle wedding dress.

Remus smiled at the image and walked into the kitchen. He knew from experience that acting normal would soon calm the boy down. He walked around the kitchen, humming the soft lullaby his mother had sung long ago. He stepped around Harry as he made tea the Muggle way. Sirius never understood why he did so, but sometimes such simple actions calmed the emotions flying around the room and made things easier. 

When the water was in the kettle and the teacups on the table, Remus turned to the refrigerator and pulled out a plate of treacle tarts smiling as he saw Harry’s eyes light up. “Dumbledore sent them as a birthday present,” he said as his brow furrowed. “I’m awfully sorry your birthday got off to a bad start, and it’s your seventeenth, too.”

Remus put a piece of the treacle tart on a plate and handed it to Harry who took it, visibly jumping when the kettle went off. Remus pretended not to notice and turned to prepare the tea. 

“You’re right,” he said, sitting the tea down on the table and then sitting down himself. “We should have closed the door. Sirius had no right to say that...but Harry... I have been meaning to ask you these things.” Remus pressed his pointer finger to the linen tablecloth and made circles with his fingertip. “Does... Does it...” he hesitated again as Sirius walked out of the bathroom and wrapped an arm around Remus’ shoulders, burying his fingers in the other man’s dark gold hair. 

“What ol’ Moony here is trying to say Harry, is this- does it bother you that you’re Uncle Moony and I are fu-”

Remus coughed just then and looked at Harry. “Erm...more than friends?”

Harry looked from Sirius (with his long black hair framing either side of Remus’ scarred face, worry and uncertainty hidden in those grey eyes) to Remus (hints of grey just starting to show in his hair, worry lines spreading across his face to meet the scar Harry’s father had given him in a romp around Hogsmeade long ago) and shook his head. “No! No, I don’t mind at all!” he assured them, just as he started to feel the betraying blush creep across his face. _Mind? No way. Jealous more like it..._ Harry thought to himself as he looked down at the treacle tart (he wanted to stay and eat it, but if Sirius kept asking uncomfortable questions he was going to have to go to the bathroom and take care of a certain tightening of his pyjama trousers...).

“Why the bloody h-” Sirius stopped when Remus laid a hand on his arm. 

“Let Harry eat and have his tea. It’s his birthday. We can discuss it later,” Remus said calmly and (now that there was no chance of it making Harry uncomfortable) leaned back into the arms surrounding him, smiling up at Sirius. 

Harry averted his eyes and focused intently on his tart, eating it quietly and sipping his tea. The morning silence was marred only by the chirping of birds and soft murmurs between his godfathers that he was trying desperately to ignore.

Remus (after putting a hand up to Sirius’ face to stop him from saying something he _knew_ Harry didn’t need to hear) turned to Harry and smiled. “So do you have any plans for today?”

Harry nodded his appreciation to Remus for changing the subject. “Yes. A couple of us are going to go to Diagon Ally and look at the shops a bit, do some shopping for school…”

“School shopping?” Sirius said with a raised voice. “Don’t waste you birthday doing something boring like that! That Hermione is a bad influence! Anyway, remember to come back before we all have to go to dinner at the Weasleys’. Remus and I have something to give, but it’s got to be done in private…” 

“In private? What-”

“Ah-ah!” Sirius said with a grin and a wink. “Telling you would ruin the surprise wouldn’t it?”

Harry (deciding to change tactics) looked to Remus and raised an eyebrow. “Do you-”

“Of course I do, Harry,” he said, and raised his hand when Harry opened his mouth. “And no, I’m not going to tell you.” A spark grew in Remus’ golden eyes and his grin made him shed years like nothing else could. “You’re going to love it. Just make sure you come back with thirty minutes to spare before we need to leave for the Weasleys’.” 

“And _come alone_ ,” Sirius added with another wink.

Harry tilted his head and looked from Remus to Sirius. “What-” he started again, and then shook his head, getting up and putting his dishes in the sink.

Sirius (grey eyes flashing with a secret Harry desperately wanted to know) laughed and leaned on the back two legs of his chair. “You never know, you might have some visitors you’d like to see without the presence of your friends.”

 

_His greens eyes are closed and remembers how awkward that conversation seemed and shakes his head. That was nothing compared to what he’s just gone though. What else? What else happened before the Attack?_

~ * ~ * ~

“Har-ry! Har-ry!”

The sound burst from inside the Leaky Cauldron as Hermione opened the door for Harry. He grinned and stepped inside (unsuccessfully trying to keep his mouth from hanging open). There were so many people in the pub that the three of them could barely get in. 

“Happy Birthday Harry!”

“It’s the birthday boy!”

“Ho-ho, watch out! Harry’s of age now!”

“Everyone watch out! No knowing what he’ll do!”

“Oi, Potter! Got anything to say?!”

“Yeah, say something!”

“Speech!”

Suddenly Harry was lifted up and put on top of a table. Looking down around him he saw the faces of those who had come to help him celebrate his 17th birthday. 

Most were students from Gryffindor, (Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Neville, Seamus, Dean, and those who were on the Quidditch team with him), Ravenclaw (Luna, Terry, Mandy, Roger and Cho) or Hufflepuff (Susan, Hannah, Justin, Zacharias and Cedric- who Harry had had a friendly Quidditch rivalry with before he graduated). To his surprise when he noticed them, there were also few Slytherins leaning against the wall in the far back. He noticed Daphne Greengrass and her sister, Astoria, Tracy Davis and Theodore Nott, all of whom weren’t known for holding the same pureblood ideals that their House was identified by.

“Er...” he started and looked around, trying to find something to say. He noticed a huge cake sitting on the bar and a thought popped into his head. “I...er...Thanks for coming, I um...really appreciate it, and now...let’s enjoy the cake!” 

Laughter and applause broke out and he turned to get off the table-

“Ouf!” he exclaimed as he fell through the table and landed on the floor amid shouts, laughter and dust. He grabbed Ron’s offered hand and stood up as Neville cast a quick _Reparo_.

“I’ve had to get good at those...” Neville said with a smile as everyone headed towards the bar and cake.

 

_Harry wonders now whether He had been there, lurking in one of the many shadows of the pub...watching. He searches through the day, looking for one last memory before his life turned upside down and everything changed. ___

_~ * ~ * ~_

_~ * ~ * ~_

__All he sees is blackness and he wonders (briefly) if there will be holes in the next memory before being rushed headfirst into it._ _

_~ * ~ * ~_

_Harry Apparated (with a gleeful smile at _legally_ being able to) past the basic house wards into the garden and walked into the house, curiosity peaked. “Hello?” he called, walking through the dark front room and into the dark kitchen. “Sirius? Remus?” he called again, slightly nervous of what they were going to do to him. He pulled out his wand, about to cast _Lumos_ when suddenly all the lights turned on in the kitchen and four people jumped out at him._

_“Argh!” Harry screamed as he was pulled into a huge hug by someone with messy black hair, glasses and large grin on his face. Realizing who it was, he hugged back enthusiastically. “Dad!”_

_Pulling back after a second, he gaped at the man (who he was surprised to see was the same height as him) across from him. “How- why? You’re supposed be in Russia! Wait- is Mum here too?” he asked and looked around, just then noticing who the fourth person in the room was._

_“Peter?! You’re here too? What’s going on? A Marauders reunion...why?”_

_James held his hands up. “Calm down. No, your mum’s not here. Someone had to stay in Russia and keep the ambassadors happy. I’m here because I wouldn’t miss my son’s seventeenth for anything! Now...Pads and I had an amazing idea for your birthday-”_

_“Another reason why your mum isn’t here, Harry,” Remus spoke up from behind him, grinning, and took a step forward._

_“Anyway,” Sirius continued. “We had this amazing idea-”_

_“But to do it right, all the Marauders had to be here and you had to come alone,” Peter (who was still part of the Marauders and had grown a bit of a backbone to boot) piped up, stepping forward._

_“That’s why Moony and I were so weird this morning,” Sirius finished (with a withering look at Peter) and stepped close as well._

_“Now,” James said and closed the circle the now ringed his son. “Harry James Potter, on the occasion of your seventeenth birthday-”_

_“And because you mother swore she would have all heads for wall ornaments if we gave it to you a day sooner,” Remus hissed to Harry under his breath._

_“Shush! Impertinence!” James said, glowering at Remus (who only huffed in response). “As I was saying: Harry James Po-”_

_“You said that bit already,” Peter interrupted, visibly bouncing with anticipation. Harry had a very good idea why they had said to come thirty minutes early._

_“ARGH!! This is a very serious thing we are doing and you’re just making fun of it!” James hollered and Sirius burst out laughing (only to be cuffed upside the head by an increasingly-annoyed James)._

_In an attempt to stop a full-out fight in the kitchen (and to get to the Weasley party on time), Harry raised his voice. “Erm...Dad? Could we...I mean it’s just...er...”_

_“Oh, yes,” James said (letting Sirius out of the headlock he’s put him in) and turning back to Harry, the other three returning to where they had been. “Now-”_

_Remus and Sirius gave him a look that clearly said _get on with it_._

_“Erm, right. We’re giving you this,” James said proudly, pulling out his wand and tapping the small, square object he had in his hand._

_A tattered red book with papers stuck in it and writing all over the cover lay in his father’s hand. He looked at it and then turned around, to look at each of the men surrounding him._

_Remus (whose golden eyes were so much younger than his scarred and battered body) one of his godfathers and the man who had held him as he woke up from nightmares flooded with green flashes and cackling and so, so many deaths._

_Sirius (long black hair almost hiding the aristocratic features that was one of the few reminders of the family he never wanted), his other godfather, the one who had helped him with his pranks at Hogwarts and had let him ride him as Padfoot until his was too heavy._

_Peter (shorter and heavier than the rest with blond hair rapidly disappearing), who, though he had never had a steady relationship or children, had transformed into Wormtail and let Harry carry him like a doll when he wanted._

_Lastly his father, James (grey strands shooting through his hair at the temples, a few laugh lines around his face and a wicked grin which Sirius’ only came close to), who, if he was honest with himself, had never truly been there. Instead choosing to leave his son with his best mates so he could go have adventures in other lands (dragging his wife with him) under the pretence of being the Ministry of Magic’s English Ambassadors. True, Harry had received many things from Africa, Japan, Russia, America and other countries which hung in his room...he still didn’t really know his father, except through the stories Sirius and Remus would tell him when he was small. He still didn’t understand why his father and mother never stayed more than a few weeks before leaving again._

_Harry looked back down at the book and reached out, picking it up gently. Opening the cover, he quickly scanned the pages. Four- no five handwritings gleamed back at him from the past. Suddenly understanding what he was holding, he looked back up at the four surrounding him. “This is- is this...?” he trailed off, unable to speak._

_“It’s the book that we made all of our notes about becoming Animagi in,” James supplied, only to be interrupted by Remus (of all people)._

_“Excuse me? Yours’ and Sirius’ notes were all over the place for anyone to walk in and find! _I_ gathered them all and used the transferring spell to put it all together-”_

_Sirius laughed and then mock-bowed. “Oh yes, we forgot. Thank you oh mighty and glorious Moony!”_

_“Is...? There’s five different handwritings in here...” Harry trailed off, uncertain how to continue._

_“Your mum had to help,” Peter was happy to inform. “She’s good at charms and potions and when we got stuck at the end of Fourth Year she took all the notes home with her during summer hols and worked on it.”_

_A blush spread across Remus’, James’ and Sirius’ faces as they all avoided looking at Harry, who laughed and hugged the book close. “Thank you.”_

_As he hugged each of the men around him, starting with Peter and ending with his father, he looked at the clock. It took him a moment to realize that they were almost ten minutes late to the party Mrs Weasley was throwing in his honour. “We’re late!” he said, and turned to Remus and Sirius._

_“Yes, and I’d best be going as well,” James said, hugged his boy one last time and was gone, a whispered ‘good luck’ in Harry’s ear before he Disapparated._

_“Me too,” Peter said with a glance out the front windows. “Can’t wait to see what you turn out to be!” he said, Disapparating as well._

_Harry turned around, book still in hand (he couldn’t wait to show Ron, he was going to flip), and nodded to Remus and Sirius_

_“Floo or Apparate?” Sirius asked._

_Harry’s answering grin told both men what they needed to know. They closed their eyes and turned, Apparating themselves outside the wards of the Weasley house._

_“SIRIUS BLACK! You FILTHY blood traitor!” a mad shriek echoed across the grass towards where Harry, Remus and Sirius had just appeared, quickly followed by a shot of red light._

_Dark eyes and the black hair and high cheekbones that bred true in the Most Noble House of Black confronted them with wand raised, another curse aimed at them._

_Sirius, recognising his cousin, stood tall, wand in hand and pushed Harry and Remus behind him. “Bellatrix Lestrange,” he replied, spitting the names out. “So lovely to see an old family member. Why are you here? I broke ties with all of you, long ago! Leave now! You have no right to be here. Leave before I curse you to the far side of next week!” Sirius’ grey eyes were hard and body tense. “Moons,” he hissed out of the corner of his mouth. “Leave. Take Harry.”_

_“Are you _mad_?!” Remus started and saw Bellatrix out of the corner of his eye. “Sirius!”_

_“Blood traitor! Consorting with beasts and half bloods! How _dare_ you!” Bellatrix had been bellowing and on the last word sent a yellow blaze-_

__BLACKNESS._ _

__Nothing but blackness. Harry pushes forward, trying vainly to see what happened next. Perhaps seeing what happened next would make things simpler. Help in some way..._ _

__But it’s to no avail. The next day is in darkness as his mind blocks the painful memories. Stuck here in St. Mungo’s he has no access to a pensieve and so it’s hopeless. He’s not able to remember what happened after then... then able meet Merlin and tug on his beard!_ _

_~ * ~ * ~_

_Harry’s eyes snapped open, pulled from yet another of his nightmares about death and destruction. It had been the graveyard one...and Peter had been in it. Strange, that. He tried to move and suddenly realised the binds that had been tying him to the tombstone in his dream hadn’t gone away. Panicking, he tried to move again._

_Failed._

_“LET GO OV’ME!” Harry yelled and tried to pull away from whatever was holding him. Slowly he realised that it wasn’t the ropes that had bound him in his dream, but (incredibly) _hands_ that were holding him. He looked and realised he was being held by the Aurors Gideon and Fabian Prewett. More panic. “Let GO! I haven’t done anything!”_

_“Oi! Stop struggling!” a deep voice said._

_“Calm _down_ Harry! Calm down!” another deep voice rumbled, Harry had never been great at knowing which Prewett brother was which. _

_Harry continued to try and pull away from the hands, his temper flaring. “Let go!” he repeated, hearing glass break and startled curses. The hands holding him were as tight as ever. “I _said_ LET. GO!” he raged, and through his power felt things flying through the air, pelting the two men holding him. Surprised at the sudden spontaneous magic, the two brothers loosened their grip and Harry shot out from between them and dashed-_

_Into a corner. “Bloody hell!” Harry cursed and turned around. He heart was beating madly and his green eyes were wide. He could barely see the brothers through the shattered glass and paper and pillows and other such things flying through the air, making a visible barrier between him and everyone else._

_Harry’s throat was sore from the yelling...but if they had just _let go_ , then this wouldn’t have happened. Where was he? Remus and Sirius knew not to hold him down or to restrain him...knew how it made him panic and lose control of his magic... So why had this happened?_

_Harry wrapped his arms around himself and noticed one of the Prewetts was lifting a wand._

_As a red bolt of light came towards him, he shouted at the brothers._

_“Where’s Sirius?!”_

_A flash of red and then blackness._

_Sometime later Harry woke to murmuring voices._

_“He called for Sirius?”_

_“Yes, right before we Stunned him, he cried out ‘Where’s Sirius?’ to us...”_

_“But does that mean he doesn’t know?” Ah! Harry recognised that voice. It was Mr Weasley, Ron’s dad._

_Harry tried to open his mouth, but his tongue seemed to be stuck to the roof of his mouth._

_“No. He knows, he has to. We were holding him because he’d finally passed out from exhaustion from sitting at Sirius’s side. He has to know...he was awake and coherent for the whole day. Was more help than Remus...poor bloke. He told us what had been going on before, and told us about Bellatrix.” That was definitely one of the Prewett brothers..._

__What are they talking about? Where are Sirius and Remus?_ Harry struggled to open his eyes and moaned when the white light of the room felt like daggers to the brain._

_“He’s awake!” Mr Weasley exclaimed and rushed to Harry’s side. “Harry! Harry, you must open your eyes and explain.”_

_Trying to move his tongue from his mouth, Harry sat up and mimed drinking something, hoping they would understand. He was soon handed a glass of water and he gulped it down. Now able to talk, he looked around and saw Mr Weasley, both Prewett brothers and a few men he knew were Aurors. “What’s going on? Where’s Remus and Sirius?”_

_The men looked at each other, but only Mr Weasley was able to look back at Harry. “Harry...they’re here. In the next room over. You were with them all of yesterday.”_

_Somehow Harry knew he didn’t want to think about yesterday. By the way the men had been talking, it could be nothing good. Instead he asked another question, though by the looks of the room, he already knew the answer. “Where’s ‘here’?”_

_The Prewetts started whispering to each other and Mr Weasley blanched. “You’re in St. Mungo’s, Harry. Tell us, what do you remember about yesterday?”_

_Harry felt panic rising, but pushed it away. Instead he swung his legs off the bed and tried to stand up. “I want to see them.”_

_“Harry! You must tell us-”_

_“No! I don’t! I’m going to Remus and Sirius!” Harry shouted and pushed himself off the bed. He stumbled, his legs still half-asleep, but made it to the door on his own. He pulled open the door (leaning on it more then he should have) and walked out, trying to figure out where his godfathers were._

_Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George were all sitting in chairs outside the room. Harry saw them all and wondered just what _had_ happened. “Remus? Sirius?” He asked in a rough voice._

_Hermione (followed closely by everyone else) rushed up to Harry and helped walk him across the hall to another room. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Harry! I can’t believed this happened and on your birthday, too! This is so terrible! That Bellatrix-”_

_Harry stopped outside the door and looked at Hermione. “Why is everyone talking about Bellatrix Lestange?”_

_The shock that was evident on everyone’s face unnerved him. He was about to ask them to explain themselves when Mr Weasley walked through the door._

_“He doesn’t remember.”_

_“What?!” Ron howled and turned to his father. “How could he not remember? He was answering questions and telling us what had happened before he passed out! What do you mean not remember?!”_

_Hermione put a hand on Ron’s arm and he quieted down. She started speaking slowly, as if an idea was forming. “He passed out and when he woke up he didn’t remember. Isn’t that right, Mr Weasley?” She turned from Harry to send a questioning glance at the man. At his nod, she continued. “He blocked it all out, Ron. His mind couldn’t handle it and he blocked it out.”_

_Mr Weasley nodded again. “We just have to figure out how much he _does_ remember.”_

_Harry (annoyed that they were talking about him like he wasn’t there) raised a hand and waved it. “Hello? Still here.”_

_Hermione and Ron had the decency to turn red but Mr Weasley just looked at him oddly. “What is the last thing you remember?”_

_Harry didn’t want to think about it, not here, not now. Instead he turned around and walked inside the room that held his godfathers-_

_And stopped dead._

_Sirius was stretched out on the bed, his black hair framing his face, skin pale. His eyes were closed and he was dressed in a hospital gown with the sheets pulled up to his chest. Remus was sitting next to him, one hand wrapped around Sirius’ and the other fisted in his lap. Head hanging low, his hair was completely blocking his face. Shoulders hunched, he was the picture of defeat._

_Walking forward, Harry took a seat in the chair on the other side of Sirius. His head was spinning. What was going on? He looked over to the people who had followed him into the room. “Tell me,” he demanded and clenched his hand into a fist._

__Looking out the window, he watches as snow falls to the ground in big fat flakes. Harry knows he had wavered between shock and anger after they had told them and feels those emotions flood back with the memory. He looks away from the window and into the room next door. He can see both Remus and Sirius. He knows that Remus is slowly killing himself. He looks worse then he ever has before, sitting there. He’s starving himself, living only on hope and whatever the nurses can make him eat._ _

__Sirius isn’t much better. Pale and thin, Harry can barely remember what his voice sounded like, but his bark of a laugh haunts his dreams. How will he get his godfathers back?_ _

__Because while Sirius may be the one at St. Mungo’s, Harry has lost both of them._ _

_~ * ~ * ~_

_“I’m sorry, sir, but only family is allowed in.”_

_“The patient’s name is Sirius _Black_ and my wife’s maiden name is Black. Therefore you have no right to bar my entrance,” A cold voice stated outside the door. “Now move.”_

_Harry, still sitting in the same seat he had been in for the past few weeks, slowly looked up at the trio that had barged into the room. Remus’ eyes took a lazy look at the Malfoys but then turned his attention back to Sirius._

_“As Black is obviously out of commission and can’t take care of his house or his money, we’ve come to collect it,” Lucius Malfoy stated boldly._

_Harry’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “But- but how? Y- you can’t!”_

_“I _can_ and I _will_ you impertinent boy. Your godfather is the first child of a first child of a first child and so even though he’s been disowned all the money in Black vaults goes to _him_ ” Lucius said in a voice full of scorn. _

_“But since he’s chosen this inopportune moment to go comatose,” Narcissa Black took up the explanation with a look of distain at Remus (who hadn’t moved much since they came in the room), “ _someone_ has to keep up the Ancestral home and charities and I have graciously offered my time.”_

_Harry thought this seemed a very flimsy excuse, but couldn’t get through the shock to point this out._

_“Besides, Sirius has no children and therefore no heir, so when he die-”_

_“And that is where you are wrong Cissy. _Potter_ is Black’s heir, fully and legally,” Snape interrupted, startling everyone in the room. He had followed the Malfoys in the room, but had stayed quiet and unnoticed until that moment. “Dumbledore has mentioned he presided over the papers and so you can be sure they are magically binding.”_

_Snape walked over to the end table near Remus and set down the full goblet he had been carrying. “The only way you can get in those vaults is for Potter to will them to you.”_

_“And since I have no intention of doing that, you can leave,” Harry concluded, finally getting over the shock of what the Malfoys wanted to do._

_Lucius huffed and left but Narcissa took a step forward and towered over Harry (who now wished he had stood up). “Don’t think this is over.” With that she turned on her heel, blond hair flying and made to leave. “Come now, Draco. We don’t want their ideas rubbing off on you.”_

_Harry looked quickly around and finally spotted Draco in the shadows, looking at him oddly. If they hadn’t been enemies since the beginning of school, Harry would have thought that Draco looked almost… _sorry_. But that couldn’t be true. Shaking his head to get rid of the thought, Harry watched as the tall and lean blond followed his parents out of the room._

_Snape looked at the closed door for a few minutes before turning his attention to Remus. “It’s a week till the full moon, Lupin. I brewed you enough Wolfsbane potion to last till then, but don’t make a habit of doing this. I’ve got lesson plans to make and house elves to deal with and I don’t have time to be making you potions.” He looked over at Harry and sneered. “If your _precious_ godson had any talent at potions I’d have made him do it, but since he doesn’t… Perhaps you could get that brat of a Granger to do it next time. If it would save me the trouble, I’d even let her get the ingredients from me.” _

_Harry then expected Snape to sneer and comment about Remus’ failure in the face of crises or something, but instead the professor knelt down and started talking softly to Remus._

_Unable to hear, Harry turned his attention to what the Malfoys and Snape had brought up. He was Sirius’ heir…it wasn’t that surprising once he got used to it; he was probably Remus’ heir as well. Neither of them had any family left and they couldn’t have kids…so that left him._

_Confused and realising that he needed to step away from the situation, Harry rose and made his way out of the room._

_“Can I help you, sir?” a bright young medi-witch who was passing by asked him._

_“Er… is the room next door occupied? I’d like a quiet place where I can think.”_

_“I…think it is. You can go in as long as you leave if it’s needed,” she finished and hurried on her way, the pile of linen in her arms tottering._

_So Harry turned and entered the room next door, sat on the chair and tried to think…_

_His mind backtracks, flying back through the past few weeks to his birthday. That was when all this had begun. That was when the Attack had happened. Perhaps he’d be able to figure things out… The thing is...the days have holes. Patches where things are missing and he’s not sure whether he wants to find what happened or not..._

_~ * ~ * ~_

_Just as he was about to drop himself into his memories, the metal door of the spare hospital room opened and _Draco Malfoy_ strode in as if he had every purpose of being there._

_“W-what?” Harry stammered in surprise._

_“Look, Potter,” Malfoy said as he made his way towards Harry. “Once school starts I may never have the chance to see you alone again; Granger and the Weasels will never leave your side, so I’m bloody well taking advantage of this chance.” The blond stopped and Harry realised he was right in front of him._

_“Er…what chance?” Harry asked, confused. The expression on Malfoy’s face was once he had never seen before and couldn’t rightly describe. All he could say was that he got the feeling it was one almost no one had seem before, because he looked almost… _vulnerable_._

_Malfoy sighed and shook his head in exasperation. Instead of wasting time on explaining, he slipped his hand behind Harry’s neck and (taking advantage of Harry’s shock) leaned over and kissed him full on the lips, hard. Who knew when he’d get another chance, so he was going to take as much as he could. His other hand grabbed a fistful of Harry’s robes and pulled the other boy closer to him. His tongue flicked out, and pushed past Harry’s lips. He revelled in the taste of Harry Potter, the boy he’d been crushing on since fourth year. Joyous, the hand behind Harry’s neck started to run through his hair and the hand clenched around robes slid up to a shoulder and trailed slowly down an arm._

_What Malfoy couldn’t possible know was that that had been Harry’s first kiss._

_Since he had nothing to compare it to, he couldn’t tell if it was amazing, but Harry certainly liked it. He had had no idea that Malfoy’s lips were that soft, or his hair smelled quite so good or that having fingers run though his hair would fell that wonderful… and so he did the logical thing. He kissed back, hard and needy, taking as much out of the kiss as he could. His hand was just rising to see if that blond hair was as soft as it looked when his shock wore off. _Wait- I’m_ kissing _Malfoy. I’m kissing_ MALFOY _! Bloody hell, I’ve lost count how many times he’s called Hermione and Mum a Mudblood!_ _

_Harry (with a difficulty he would never admit) raised his arms and pushed Malfoy away. “What in Merlin’s name are you doing?!” Harry hissed at him._

_“Kissing you,” Malfoy replied, straightening his robes and smoothing his hair. “And for a moment there, you were kissing me back.”_

_Harry looked closely and saw that the mask Malfoy perpetually wore was back in place, and Harry wondered just how much hurt his words had cost._

_“You- you just ki- ki…” Harry started and trailed off._

_“Kissed you, yes. Haven’t you ever been kissed before?” Malfoy asked sarcastically._

_Harry tried to stammer a response, but his blushing gave him away._

_“Merlin, you have got to be joking,” Malfoy breathed and smiled (if Harry had been paying any attention he would have realised this was a smile he’d never seen from Malfoy either). “I took Harry Potter’s first kiss… The kid known throughout the school as a trickster almost as bad as the Weasley twins, amazing at DADA and a legend of walking the halls out-of-bounds and never getting caught?”_

_Harry just blushed and shook his head; he couldn’t think of a decent response to that at all._

_Malfoy smiled softly and leaned down again, his hand on Harry’s shoulder and said in a soft whisper, “If you ever need my help, Harry, just send me an owl. I don’t agree with what my parents are doing or what they’re going to do.” And with that, he walked out of the room…_

_Harry leans back and sighs, one hand unconsciously rises to his mouth and slowly touches his lips. _I can’t believe… He just…_ Harry runs his hands through his hair and shakes his head. _

_~*~*~_

__...And that’s it. Everything I can remember since my birthday. I still can’t see what happened on that day, can’t remember it at all…._ _

_“Potter!” Snape’s voice brings Harry out of a daydream and back to the hospital room. It’s few days until the full moon and Harry has no idea what to do. “Stop wallowing. The Malfoy’s want Black’s money and the only way they can get it through you. School starts in a week and no doubt you’ve been sulking so much you haven’t done any school shopping what so ever. You can’t help Black or Lupin by just sitting there and the hospital has already made preparations for Lupin’s change. Get yourself to the Weasley’s, I’m sure Molly will help.”_

_Harry stares at Snape for a second, mouth hanging slightly open and eyes blinking. “W-what?”_

_Snape scowls and glares at Harry from his post next to Remus. It seems that whenever he’s here, he always stands next to him, even succeeding in getting him to eat a few times as well._

_This hardly makes Harry feel any better. If _Snape _can get Remus to eat, why can’t he?___

___“I will say this only one more time, Potter,” Snape snarled. “Go to the Weasley’s.”_ _ _

___Harry sighs and stands up, gathering the few things he had brought and leaves the hospital room._ _ _

___~ * ~ * ~_ _ _

___“’Lo, Harry. Was your summer interesting?” a soft voice says right behind him, making Harry jump._ _ _

___He turns around and sees Luna Lovegood standing behind him on the platform. He smiles tightly and nods. “Interesting is a good word Luna. What about yours?” he asks, not wanting to think about Sirius or the Malfoys._ _ _

___“Oh it was good. Father and I went to Questing,” she responds in her dreamy voice, but Harry can tell she was excited about it._ _ _

___“Questing?” he asks, glad of something to pay attention to other then what had happened on his birthday. “For what, Luna?”_ _ _

___“For the Deathly Hallows.”_ _ _

___“Er...the what?” Harry questions, at bit disappointed. This was certainly something along the likes of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack._ _ _

___“Have you ever heard ‘The Tale of the Three Brothers’?” she says._ _ _

___“Yes-” Harry starts but is distracted by a blond head in the crowd and hastily excuses himself from his conversation with Luna. “Er...I just...forgot something, Luna. I’ve got to go.”_ _ _

___He’s halfway across the platform before he realizes that he’s chasing after _Draco Malfoy_. Stopping suddenly, Harry ducks his head to hide his blush and hurries into the train, looking for an empty compartment. Hermione has prefect duties and Ron was off trying to threaten Ginny’s latest beau and so it had been left to him to find a compartment and store all their trunks._ _ _

___He finds one quickly (the train isn’t supposed to leave for another 20 minutes) and after putting the trunks in the space above, sits down and stares out the window. He’s drawn the blinds on the compartment, so instead of the usual stream of people chatting with him, it’s quiet._ _ _

___He likes it. He doesn’t have to worry about pretending that he had a good summer, and hopes that Malfoy hasn’t told anyone..._ _ _

___Malfoy._ _ _

___What was he going to do? They wanted whatever was in Sirius’ vault and Harry was sure that he was going to hear more about it soon. But he had no idea why they wanted Sirius’ money. They were plenty rich enough, always going on about being Purebloods and such._ _ _

___Even worse, what about Dr-_ _ _

___“Hello, Harry!” Hermione says and sits down across from him. “Have you seen Ron?” She seems breathless and her bushy hair was a bit messier then normal. She seems to know this though, because she starts to pat it down, trying to make it lie flatter._ _ _

___“He’s off bothering Ginny’s new boyfriend,” Harry says with a grin at Hermione who rolls her eyes. It was funny seeing Ron become all protective around his younger sister. Seeing the whole family get protective was even funnier. That had happened during the week he’d spent at the Burrow and Harry smiled at the memory._ _ _

___After a few minutes of silence, Hermione looks up from the book she’d pulled out. “Um, Harry?”_ _ _

___“Yes, Herm-”_ _ _

___“I _don’t_ understand her! This is her sixth boyfriend since fifth year!” Ron demands as he enters and slams the compartment door shut. “I try to reason- What?” he whines to Hermione as he collapses next to her._ _ _

___“You don’t try to reason with her. You just tell her she shouldn’t be going around as much and treat her like a little kid!” Hermione retorts._ _ _

___“She is!”_ _ _

___“No, she’s not,” Harry interrupts in an even voice. “She’s a sixth year now Ron. She’s almost grown up.”_ _ _

___“Harry, mate...” Ron pauses, his eyes are wide but he’s looking for the right words. “You don’t... _like_ Ginny do you?” He starts getting red and Hermione puts a hand on his shoulder, but he didn’t seem to notice._ _ _

___Harry feels cold all over at the thought. “N-no. Not like that. She’s practically my sister Ron. That would be gross.”_ _ _

___Ron stares at him for a moment longer and then nods. “Good.”_ _ _

___Hermione though, stares at him for a while, a thoughtful look on her face. Ron leans against the wall of the compartment, and pats his chest in invitation for Hermione. She rolls her eyes at him and laughs slightly, leaning against him and going back to her book. Ron, happy just to have Hermione near him, is quiet. And Harry has no intention of breaking the quiet peace._ _ _

___In the end, about twenty minutes later, it’s Hermione who breaks it._ _ _

___“Um...Harry?”_ _ _

___“Yeah?”_ _ _

___“You…didn’t talk much while you were at the Burrow and- Um… we were wondering if you wanted to… If something had happened?” Hermione asks hesitantly._ _ _

___Harry looked over and sees Hermione looking at him. He can tell Ron’s trying very hard not to look, but can’t help but glance over out of the corner of his every few moments._ _ _

___“Well….er… I guess something did happen,” Harry says reluctantly. For some reason he didn’t want to tell anyone about what the Malfoys were doing._ _ _

___“Well?” Ron asks when Harry didn’t say anything more._ _ _

___“The Malfoys showed up and told me that they wanted all of Sirius’ money. They said they had a right to it-”_ _ _

___“They don’t!” Ron exclaims and then looks down at Hermione. “Right?”_ _ _

___Rolling her eyes, she sits up and looks out the window. Neither Harry nor Ron interrupt her; they can tell she’s trying to remember something._ _ _

___After a few minutes, Hermione smiles and looks at Harry. “Okay, I think I’ve got it, but finish what you were saying. You weren’t done when Ron interrupted you.’_ _ _

___“Oh, er…Just that Snape spoke up then and it turns out that I’m Sirius’ heir and so they can’t get the money. But they said something like this isn’t over and then left. Then-” Harry stops, his heart has suddenly started beating faster and his palms are getting sweaty… “Then…I guess that’s it. So what’s your idea Hermione?”_ _ _

___“Well, Bill works at Gringotts, maybe he knows something. But Harry, I really don’t think it’s anything to worry about. They can’t get to the money if it’s yours. You’re seventeen now, you can even legally inherit now. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”_ _ _

___Harry nods, but can’t get Malfoy’s voice out of his head. _I don’t agree with what my parents are doing or what they’re going to do.__ _ _

___~ * ~ * ~_ _ _

___Three days into the new term, an eagle owl swooped in with the morning mail and dropped a roll of thick parchment on the table in front of him._ _ _

____Dear Mr Potter,_ _ _ _

____We are sorry to hear about your Godfather’s condition. We extend our deepest sympathies._ _ _ _

____Yours sincerely,  
Narcissa Malfoy ____ _ _

____Harry stares at the letter and then looks up and searches through the crowed at the Slytherin table to find Malfoy. He’s surprised to see the blond is watching him. Harry holds up the piece of parchment and raises an eyebrow._ _ _ _

____Malfoy shrugs and flicks his eyes to the door and Harry nods._ _ _ _

____Ignoring the jumping sensation in his stomach, Harry turns to Hermione and Ron (who are arguing about creating study schedules this early in the year) and taps Ron on the shoulder. “Hey, I’ve forgotten something back in the tower, I’ll see you in Herbology,” he lied._ _ _ _

____Ron waved his hand in acknowledgment. “See ya, mate.”_ _ _ _

____Harry gets up and makes his way out of the Great Hall, stopping in a corner of the entrance hall, halfway hidden from view. Once Draco leaves, Harry turns and enters an old broom closet, Draco behind him._ _ _ _

____Draco closes the door behind him and turns to Harry, a smirk on his face. “A broom closet, Potter? How sudden.”_ _ _ _

____Harry’s cheeks burn and he attempts to speak, but for some reason his mouth doesn’t want to work. He has a strong suspicion it has to do with the amazing smell that seems to be coming from Draco (slightly earthy with a hint of something else) and the fact he can feel the other boy’s body heat. “No- I- it- er...”_ _ _ _

____“Shut it Potter,” Draco says the smirk falling from his face as leans against the door. “Now you waved a letter to me. Why?”_ _ _ _

____Suddenly remembering the letter, Harry pulled himself away from staring at Draco’s lips and lifted the scroll up. “It’s from your mum. But there’s something not right. You said that anytime I wanted you- er wanted your help,” he stammers (Harry can’t look at the blond now, with his knowing look). “To just ask. So...”_ _ _ _

____Draco reaches for the letter and opens it, raising and eyebrow once he’s read it. “Simple, Potter. Prick you finger and put a drop of blood on the paper and it will reveal the real message. My parents aren’t stupid enough to openly threaten you without some kind of concealment charm.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____~ * SPLIT POST HERE * ~_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____“Are you kidding?” Harry scoffed. “It could turn into some binding contract and I’d have given all of Sirius’ money away or something!”_ _ _ _

____Draco raises his eyebrow and smiles. “You’re smarter then you look, Potter. It could. Just hold it up and breathe on it, the message should reveal itself.”_ _ _ _

____For some unknown reason, Harry feels compelled to tell Draco he had almost been put in Slytherin, and even Ron doesn’t know that..._ _ _ _

____But instead he takes the paper and breathes on it like Draco said to and a new message appears:_ _ _ _

_____Dear Mr Potter,_ _ _ _ _

_____We have come to offer you a way to speak to your Godfather again. If you would like him to live, for you and I both know that St. Mungo’s is doing nothing for him, send us an owl back within the week. There is a price for this, of course, send (with your reply) the receipt showing you have transferred the sum of the Black vaults into those of the Malfoys and you will be speaking to your Godfather within the next week._ _ _ _ _

_____Narcissa Malfoy_ _ _ _ _

____Harry reads the letter twice before the words start to disappear and he panics. Draco, who’d been reading over his shoulder, places his hand on Harry’s shoulder and says calmly “Just breathe on it again, Potter.” And Harry does._ _ _ _

____“I-I can’t believe this... I-” Harry stammers and his hand clenches on the paper, wrinkling it. Harry turns to the blond, “Draco can you-” But suddenly they can hear the rush of people outside and Harry must go to his first class. He locks eyes with the blond and mouths ‘please’ before leaving the closet and melting into the crowd._ _ _ _

____Draco is left standing there, wondering when Potter had started referring to him as ‘Draco’._ _ _ _

____~ * ~ * ~_ _ _ _

____Harry shows Hermione and Ron the message but neither of them have any idea what to do. Hermione (who had started spending time in the library because of NEWTs at the end of the year) now practically liveed in the library. She wakes up early and stayed up late to study, along with spending all her free periods there. Somehow she still managed to keep up with her Head Girl duties as well. When she wassn’t studying or performing Head Girl duties, she was looking up Wizarding inheriting law, trying to find a way to help Harry._ _ _ _

____Ron told Harry to send a letter to Bill, and Harry did. Only to find out that he was on a mission in China and wouldn’t be back until November. Out of desperation, Harry joins Hermione in the library, hoping for some way to save Sirius and his money._ _ _ _

____With Quidditch and classes, he hasn’t been able to get Draco alone since that first time. In desperation, he sent a reply back to Draco’s mum asking for an extension. Surprisingly she gave him until the first of December._ _ _ _

____A letter comes at supper the day before Halloween._ _ _ _

_____Potter,_ _ _ _ _

_____I doubt you or Granger have been able to find anything. Meet me in the back corner of the Library at ten tomorrow night. I may be able to help you._ _ _ _ _

_____D. Malfoy_ _ _ _ _

____Harry shows the note to Ron and Hermione. Ron doesn’t want to waste the best night for scaring first years in the library, but both Hermione and Harry glare at him._ _ _ _

____“Ron! This is important!” Hermione admonishes him. “Do you really not care about what happens to Remus and Sirius?”_ _ _ _

____Ron ears turn red and he stares down at his food. “’Course I care, guys. But I’m useless at this stuff. I don’t understand it. I offered Bill, that all I can do!”_ _ _ _

____Harry doesn’t much care, he’s trying very hard not to let his thoughts drift and put himself and Draco in very uncompromising positions. Like in a closet or the Room of Requirement or the broom closet on the Quidditch pitch or under his Invisibility Cloak..._ _ _ _

____“Ron, why don’t you take the Invisibility Cloak and Hermione and I will go meet Draco? That way you can have fun with the first years (take some Weasley Wizard Haunts, too) and we can get work done. You and Dr-Malfoy don’t get along well anyway.”_ _ _ _

____“What and you and Hermione get along with the git well?” Ron says, holding his hand out for the Invisibility Cloak._ _ _ _

____Harry hands the Cloak out to the redhead and shrugs. “He’s not the bad. Or he hasn’t been the few times I’ve talk to him recently...”_ _ _ _

____“When did you talk to him last, Harry?” Hermione asks, raising her eyebrows._ _ _ _

____“Oh er....” Harry pauses, remembering he had left out the two times he’d met with Draco. “Oh, he helped me figure out how to read that letter.”_ _ _ _

____“He did, did he?” she asks, a knowing look on her face and then stands up to go talk to Professor McGonagall about something concerning Head Girl._ _ _ _

____Harry and Ron both stare after her, confused._ _ _ _

____~ * ~ * ~_ _ _ _

____Harry and Hermione have been in the Library all night. Harry (who honestly hadn’t been paying attention in class at all) should have been looking through old Wizarding law books, trying to find something that might help. But instead he was looking through the notes Remus and Sirius gave him. It seems there’s a potion you can brew to reveal what animal you would be, but the actual process of becoming an Animagi was a combination of a Transfiguration spell and a high-level charm. Remus, Sirius and his father had figured the Transfiguration spell, but his mother was the one who figured out what the charm and potion was. There was also a bit about having to hold a mandrake leaf on your tongue for a month that sounds rather tiresome._ _ _ _

____Hermione is studying Ancient Runes, writing furiously on a piece of paper when Draco strides up to the table and looks at both of them._ _ _ _

____“Neither of you are looking in the right places,” he says coolly as he scans the title of the books scattered on the table._ _ _ _

____Harry grabs up the notes and stuffs them in the book, shutting it quickly and putting it away in his bag. He looked up at Draco and see’s the blond raise an eyebrow, his grey eyes flashing in the flickering torchlight._ _ _ _

____Harry’s stomach drops and feels an uncomfortable twitch in his groin. The light shines on Draco’s blond hair, making it seem almost white. The shadows accent the angles of Draco’s face and body, and Harry realises that neither of them are boys anymore and neither of them look like it._ _ _ _

____Hermione shuts her book with a snap and turns to Draco. “Yes, well we have got NEWT level classes, and Head Girl duties and neither of us know exactly what we’re looking for,” Hermione says smartly and pulls the hair tie she has holding back her bushy hair tighter._ _ _ _

____Draco smirks and places a hand on his hips. “Then why didn’t you ask for my help earlier?”_ _ _ _

____“Because- um well...” Hermione stammers, unable to find a polite reply._ _ _ _

____“Because we weren’t sure we could trust you,” Harry replies simply. “I want to, but how can I be sure you wouldn’t just mislead us?” He sees something flicker in Draco’s eyes. Some flash of emotion that isn’t hidden perfectly behind the blond’s mask and Harry has a strong urge to reach out to him. “Prove to me otherwise,” he says softly._ _ _ _

____Draco looks at Harry and nods slightly. Taking a step closer he pushes the books that are scattered on the table over and pulls three books out of his book bag. “I lifted these from my father’s library when I heard them talking about this at the beginning of the summer-”_ _ _ _

____“Wait- the beginning of the summer?” Harry asks, confused. “We were attacked on the end of July, how-”_ _ _ _

____“Your godfather was attacked by my Aunt Bellatrix. Do you really think that it wasn’t connected to what my family is trying to do?”_ _ _ _

____Mouth agape, Harry stares at Draco, part of him revelling in the excuse to stare at the blond. “Oh...no. I’d never made the connection. So...what are the books you brought us?”_ _ _ _

____Hermione looks at Harry and then at Draco and then back again.._ _ _ _

____Draco sits down next to Harry and pulls the three books closer to him. “This first one is a book on Pureblood inheritance in the past thousand years or so,” Draco says and then grins. “Unsurprisingly, they haven’t changed much. The next is a book of all the curses, charms and bonds put on Black family vaults-”_ _ _ _

____“Not Malfoy vaults?” Harry interrupts._ _ _ _

____Draco rolls his eyes and sighs. “That wouldn’t help you in the slightest and if you must know, the Black name is a relatively new one. It’s thought that an estranged second son from the Pervell line broke off in the mid 12th century and renamed himself ‘Black’” Draco explained in a board tone._ _ _ _

____“Mid 12th century is _new_? Wait...Pervell?” Harry asks. “I’ve heard that name before...”_ _ _ _

____Draco eyes Harry suspiciously and pick up the third book, by far the heaviest of the three. “This one is a medical encyclopaedia where you can cross reference by the curse or the symptoms, I took this one right before I left. Perhaps it will help...” Draco finished uncertainly._ _ _ _

____Hermione is beaming and reaches for the book just as Madame Pince came by. “The library is closing. Put back the books where you found them and leave,” she says sternly and turns to go bother a group of giggling third years._ _ _ _

____Draco picks up a few of the library’s books and stands to leave. “I hope the books help; send me an owl if you want something explained.” And he was gone._ _ _ _

____Harry stares after him for a long time, wonder if he was imagining the sway of Draco’s hips or if that had been some sort of invitation..._ _ _ _

____“Harry, Harry!”_ _ _ _

____Harry turns and looks at Hermione, feeling as if he was in a daze. “Yes?”_ _ _ _

____She rolls her eyes and put the three books into her bag. “Oh, Harry... you’re hopeless. Help me put these away and we’ll talk on our way back to the tower.”_ _ _ _

____As they leave the Library, Hermione turns to Harry and raises her eyebrows. “Since when was Malfoy that friendly? I don’t think he insulted my parents or background once the entire conversation. And _why_ does he want to help? This is so strange...”_ _ _ _

____Harry runs a hand through his hair and shrugs. “I um...I’ve been thinking and I realised that he wasn’t always mean. On the train first year, he tried to be my friend, but I’d heard so much about his father from Sirius I flatly refused. Ever since then he’s been mean. What if he was just- just....Oh I don’t know... offended I refused his friendship? Embarrassed?” Harry jumped the missing step on the staircase and continued. “Maybe he’s finally old enough to realise blood isn’t everything. I mean, you’re the smarted kid in Hogwarts, have been for years. I guess he finally figured it out?”_ _ _ _

____Hermione doesn’t look convinced, but she stops talking, thinking about what Harry had said._ _ _ _

____Harry thinks there is something more, but isn’t going to mention it. What if Draco had been acting nice because he _fancied_ Harry? What if there was a reason behind that kiss over the summer, a reason behind the feelings Harry had each time he thought about the blond?_ _ _ _

____~ * ~ * ~_ _ _ _

____Harry and Hermione carry the books with them everywhere. Hermione has the inheritance book and the one about the Black vaults while Harry is constantly pouring over the medical book._ _ _ _

____It’s before class one day in Potions that Snape realises what’s going on. He strides into the classroom, cloak billowing and sees the big tome in front of Harry and the two old books in front of Hermione and knows something is up._ _ _ _

____“Potter! See me in my office after class.” And he leaves it at that._ _ _ _

____Harry decided to try and pay attention in class and soon realized that he was so far behind that Ron was actually doing better then him. Unable to brew the potions Snape tells them to, Harry opened his potion book and tried to look as if he was doing something._ _ _ _

____He found in it not Draco had sent him the week before and he’d shoved in his bag when Ron had tried to read it._ _ _ _

_____P._ _ _ _ _

_____I hope the research is going well. Here if you need me._ _ _ _ _

_____D._ _ _ _ _

____Just that simple declaration of support had almost broken Harry when he got it. He has so much on his shoulders it seemed. Sirius at St. Mungo’s, worrying about Remus (if he was eating and how his transformations where going without any of the Marauders there to help), trying to figure out how to become an animagus so he could help Remus, and his uncomfortable feelings for Draco. He hadn’t anticipated them, but he had always thought that when he’d finally get a crush on a bloke (like he knew he would back in fourth year) he assumed that he’d be able to go to at least one of this godfathers, but now that he had a crush, he couldn’t reach either of them._ _ _ _

____He lets his mind wander to the dream he had that morning. It had involved that flash of green light (which he’d been surprised to learn in fourth year was the tell tail sign of the _Avada Kedavra_ curse), and then changed into something involving a mirror, a red stone and a troll..._ _ _ _

____“Harry!”_ _ _ _

____He turned to see that the classroom was mostly empty and somehow class was over without Snape commenting on how badly he was doing this year._ _ _ _

____“Harry, you have to go to Professor Snape’s office,” Hermione whispered as she picks up her books._ _ _ _

____“Oh,” Harry stood, packed his books away in his bag and made his way towards Snape’s office. He knocked on the door and poked his head into the open doorway. “Um, sir? You wanted to see me.”_ _ _ _

____“Yes, get in here and close the door. DON’T touch anything and say nothing,” Snape’s voice calls out._ _ _ _

____Harry follows the instructions and sees that Snape is pouring what looks like Wolfsbane potions into containers and stopping them up. He is almost done and when he is, he looks up at Harry._ _ _ _

____“Black isn’t getting any better and Lupin was admitted today. Did you know that?” he said as he walked around his desk and sat down._ _ _ _

____Harry drops his book bag and slumps into the chair in front of Snape’s desk. “H-he has?” he said softly and felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on him._ _ _ _

____“Yes. He hasn’t left Black’s side since he was admitted and was wasting away. They thought admitting him was the best idea, that way they could feed him and he couldn’t refuse.”_ _ _ _

____Harry looked up at Snape, his greasy black hair framing his pale and shallow cheeks and wonders how _he_ knows before Harry himself knows. “Er...Thank you for telling me. And er- making the Wolfsbane potion,” he ran his hand through is hair. “Is that why you called me here? Professor McGonagall-”_ _ _ _

____“There is also the problem of what you are going to do about the Malfoys. I see you and Granger are carrying books round that I know do not belong to you _or_ the library.”_ _ _ _

____Harry blushed red, but doesn’t look away. “They were given to me by a friend,” he retaliated without thinking._ _ _ _

____Snape raised an eyebrow and looked at Harry quizzically. “Oh really now? I wasn’t aware Mr Malfoy was a friend. But you haven’t been at each other’s throats since last term...”_ _ _ _

____After only a slight hesitation, Harry spoke. “Yes, a friend. The books just might help and he was kind enough to lend them to Hermione and me. Is that all you wanted to discuss? I-”_ _ _ _

____“Those books are unlikely to help you. They-”_ _ _ _

____“Then what _will_?´ Harry shouts, standing up. “No one is doing anything and the Malfoys are the only ones that seem to know what’s going on! What’s so important about the Black vaults anyway? Draco’s family has loads of money, why do they need Sirius’?”_ _ _ _

____Snape’s other eyebrow rose as the ease Potter uses Draco’s name and then he frowns. “Sit down. No one’s doing anything, because no one can figure out why Black won’t wake up. The Malfoys may claim to know how to fix it, but that isn’t necessarily the truth. As to why they want the money? Perhaps they believe it to be theirs. It _was_ totally unexpected that your godfather inherited after his mother passed last spring.” _ _ _ _

____Harry opens his mouth to respond, but can’t think of anything to say. _How_ did Snape know all of this?_ _ _ _

____“While your impression of a fish is outstanding Potter, I’m sure you have other things to do,” Snape spoke and waved to the door. “Your situation with your family does not grant you leeway in my class. If you fail to turn in another assignment, you will be forced to drop your NEWT Potions class.”_ _ _ _

____Harry stands and picks up his book bag. The sudden change in attitude surprised him and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. He turned and walked out the door, hearing his professor voice a name softly and with so much pain it amazed him._ _ _ _

____“ _Remus_...”_ _ _ _

____Harry refuses to think about it._ _ _ _

____~ * ~ * ~ *_ _ _ _

____Even though it was a week until December and snow had been covering the grounds of Hogwarts since mid October, Harry Potter was sitting on a cold stone bench outside. It was dark, almost after hours, but it was the only place he can truly be alone. What was he going do? His grades were drastically falling and he knew that he’d never be able to pass his NEWTs if his godfathers didn’t come back._ _ _ _

____Ron won’t stop talking about classes, or Quidditch, or the annoying first years. He knows that the redhead is only trying to cheer him up, but it hasn’t worked so far, instead only annoying him more. Hermione is franticly trying to finish assignments, perform her duties as Head Girl and help Harry. It’s no longer an uncommon sight to come down in the morning to find her asleep at a table, books and papers spread out around her. Harry feels terrible, asking for her help when she’s so busy, but can’t get himself to tell her to stop. What if she found something to help?_ _ _ _

____Even though he’s been trying to talk to Bill Weasley since the beginning of November, it’s exceedingly difficult while he’s at Hogwarts and Bill’s in London._ _ _ _

____He’s thinking, trying desperately to figure out what to do about Sirius. The medical book showed so many different curses that resembled what had hit Sirius, he list is two feet of parchment. Trying to cross-reference them with the symptoms hasn’t helped either. Most read ‘If cast improperly can result in coma-like symptoms’. That doesn’t help him at all._ _ _ _

____Running his hand through his hair, he sighs and wraps his arm around himself. The warming charm he had cast when he came out was starting to fade, which told him he’d been outside for a little over two hours. Closing his eyes, he rubbed at his nose, trying to get rid of the tingling sensation that told him he was close to tears. Remus couldn’t survive without Sirius, it was now a proven fact. And Sirius wasn’t getting any better._ _ _ _

____Harry bent down and pulled the old notebook out of his bag. He looked at it and sighs. He hadn’t had the time to look over the notes since Draco had given them the books. Turning the book over and over in is hands, he finally lets the tears fall._ _ _ _

____The sun started to set as a tear landed on the cover of the book, staining it a darker red. Harry didn’t care about the darkness, there didn’t seem to be a way to save the people he cares most about so-_ _ _ _

____“Potter! Potter! Don’t you dare go to sleep!”_ _ _ _

____Harry’s dreadfully cold, but sleep sounds very nice. Why can’t he?_ _ _ _

____“Potter! Oh bloody hell...Harry, if you die....”_ _ _ _

_____SLAP_ _ _ _ _

____“Huh?” Harry asked groggily. “Wasgoninon?” Blinking, Harry opened his tired eyes and sees grey ones looking back at him. “Sirius?” _No..._ Soft looking blond hair framed the eyes. Hair Harry knew was a soft as it looked. “D-Draco? What are you doing here?” Harry asked and then realised he isn’t sitting up. In fact...he was leaning in the blond’s arms! He sat up hastily and the world spun._ _ _ _

____“Whoa! Slow down, Harry,” a soft voice told him, and a hand pressed his chest making him go back to the warm comfort of those arms. Warm... _Oh, it’s so cold._ Harry thought and starts to shiver. Warm hands rubbed his arms and a muttered spell started to bring warmth to the rest of his body. “Don’t go to sleep. Come on, Harry. You can’t go to sleep. Wake up. Harry...please wake up!”_ _ _ _

_____Draco’s voice has never sounded like that before,_ Harry thought, his mind wandering. _It’s normally so cold and cal...calcu-whatsit? And..._ “Why is he calling me Harry?” Unknown to him, he voiced the last thought._ _ _ _

____“You’ve been calling me Draco since term began; I thought you deserved the same favour.” Draco continued rubbing Harry’s arms, concern flooding his grey eyes._ _ _ _

____A cup appeared out of nowhere and is pressed up against his lips. He started to drink it without any prompting. The thought that he was laying in the arms of the person he was supposed to be mortal enemies with and drinking an unknown substance didn’t occur to him. Whatever he was drinking was warm and he could feel it warming his body._ _ _ _

____Looking up and smiling at him, Harry unconsciously snuggled closer to the blond’s warm body. “Merlin, you have gorgeous eyes.” Draco said softly._ _ _ _

____Harry blinked. “I-I do?”_ _ _ _

____Pale cheeks flushed and Draco looked away. “I said that out loud?”_ _ _ _

____“Yah...but- but that’s okay.”_ _ _ _

____“Oh. Well, you do.”_ _ _ _

____Harry blinked again, easily confused because of the cold. “I do, what?”_ _ _ _

____Draco smiled, but Harry could only see a bit of it, the blond hasn’t looked back at him. “Have gorgeous eyes.”_ _ _ _

____“Oh...No one’s ever said that,” Harry said softly. Then, frustrated that he won’t look at him, Harry reached for the boy cradling him. “Look at me, Draco.”_ _ _ _

____Draco looked down and Harry cuped his cheek with his cold hand. “Draco?”_ _ _ _

____His eyes flash with something Harry can’t identify, but he leaned down a bit and answered with a soft, “What?”_ _ _ _

____Harry raised his head until he was almost brushing his numb lips against Draco’s and whispered “Kiss me again.”_ _ _ _

____And Draco did. It was a soft kiss this time, none of the neediness, or forceful pleasure of the first. One of the blond’s arms was cradling Harry and the other was cupping his cheek, the thumb gently stroking the skin. Harry smiled and loved the feeling of Draco’s soft hair falling against this cheek._ _ _ _

____Draco pulled away and Harry flushed at the needy sounds he makes. Laughing, the blond smiled down at him, “I need to get you back inside. I’m just glad the we have a house in Switzerland, I’m good at constant warming charms. Can you walk?”_ _ _ _

____Draco helped Harry sit up and he gasped in shock as the other’s warm heat left him and he realised that it was probably close to midnight. Standing shakily, he grabed Draco’s hand and looked at the smaller blond. “Wh-what happened? Why- how are you here?”_ _ _ _

____“I’ll explain once we get inside. We shouldn’t have stayed out here so long...” Draco said and turned Harry to the door._ _ _ _

____“M-my s-stuff,” Harry stutters, still cold._ _ _ _

____“Inside, I’ll come back for it.”_ _ _ _

____Step by slow step, Draco led Harry inside the castle and set him down on a bench. He ran back outside and grabed a book bag and turns to leave, only to see the small red book on the ground. He picked it up and stuffed it in Harry’s bag, recognising it as the book the black haired boy had been looking at in the Library on Halloween. Hurrying back inside, he pulled the bag over his shoulder and stopped next to Harry. “Why where you out there?” he pointed his wand at the black haired boy and murmurs another warming charm._ _ _ _

____Harry sighed gratefully and stood. Draco took an arm and threw it over his shoulder, helping Harry walk. “T-tell me firs-st what happened.”_ _ _ _

____Draco glared and his voice gets harder, sound more aristocratic. “It won’t make the slighted bit of sense until you tell me why you were out there in the first place, Potter.”_ _ _ _

____Harry stiffened and stopped walking. He looked at Draco, green eyes wary. His emotions were running all over the place. He wanted to trust Draco, hold his hand and say everything that was bothering him, but six years of fighting and insults were hard to ignore. His father didn’t care enough to help, why would Draco want to?_ _ _ _

____Draco steped out from under Harry’s arm and closer to him. He took Harry’s hand. “Trust me. I just want to know why you were outside in late November at close to midnight. I want to know if I can help you, if there’s anything I can do...” Draco stepped forward and ran his fingers through the mess that was Harry’s hair. “Harry...” Draco sighed and smirked a little. “I was hungry and going to the kitchens to get something to eat and I heard the house elves mention someone was sitting out in the court yard. I went up so see who it was. If it was a Slytherin I was going to get them to get their arse back in the common room and if it was anyone else I’d have taken point from them...”_ _ _ _

____Draco’s hand clenched in Harry’s hair and he was surprised at the depth of emotion he saw in those grey eyes. Fear, pain, longing and...maybe hope? “I saw you there, almost asleep on the bench, covered in snow and panicked. I rushed forward, trying to wake up. I knew that if you feel asleep you might not wake up. I-” Pale skin flushed and grey eyes look away. “I couldn’t let that happen...”_ _ _ _

_____He-he’s not like Dad. He- he seems to care,_ really _care,_ Harry thought to himself, sighing and leaned into Draco. “Thank you. Let’s get to my common room, I’ll explain on the way there.”_ _ _ _

____Draco nodded and Harry started talking as they walked toward the Gryffindor tower. “You saw how Snape told me to stay after class during Potions...”Harry begins, continuing at Draco’s nod._ _ _ _

____~ * ~ * ~_ _ _ _

____It wasn’t until they’re standing outside the Fat Lady’s portrait that Harry realised that he was going to have to let Draco into the Gryffindor common room. He sighed and looked quickly to Draco. “No using this to get into the tower and terrorize our first years, or anything else.”_ _ _ _

____“That’s such a Gryffindor tactic. I’d do something much better with it.” Seeing Harry’s look, Draco rolled his eyes and nodded. “Not like you have much choice. I don’t think you’d make it to the wall without my help.”_ _ _ _

____Harry huffed and looked up at the Fat Lady. “Oi!”_ _ _ _

____“What?” she mumbled sleepily._ _ _ _

____“Mox excessum.”_ _ _ _

____“Oh, fine. Do you have any idea what time it is?” she grumbled as Draco helped Harry into the common room only to have Ron and Hermione attack them with questions._ _ _ _

____“What the bloody HELL is _Malfoy_ doing here?!” Ron shouted._ _ _ _

____“Harry! Where have you _been_??” they heard Hermione say as Draco helped Harry to a comfortable chair. _ _ _ _

____The blond looked around and took in the mass amount of red and gold that decorated the round room. Using his wand, he levitated Harry and the chair as close to the fireplace as he could and then bent down to coax the fire to burn higher. Ignoring the questions pelting him until the fire was roaring and he’d done all he could to get Harry warmer._ _ _ _

____When he turned around, the Ron was standing in front of Harry, his wand pointing at Draco. “What are you doing here? How’d you get in and what did you do to Harry?”_ _ _ _

____“Move, Weasel. Harry needs to get warm,” Draco said. Ron didn’t move and Draco couldn’t help but notice the redhead’s wand was shaking slightly. He sighed and tried very hard not to roll his eyes. “I’m here because I helped Harry get here, he knew he couldn’t get in without my help and so said the password in front of me and the only thing I did to Harry was possibly save his life. It was the two of you who almost killed him.”_ _ _ _

____The redhead sputtered and glared at Draco, and Hermione looked up from where she was kneeling by Harry. “What do you mean that you saved his life and that we almost killed him? Where was he?”_ _ _ _

____Draco pushed past the redhead and made his way to the black haired boy’s side. He had fallen asleep, but that was fine. He wasn’t in danger of hypothermia here. Kneeling down, Draco accioed a few of the blankets laying about and wrapped Harry in them, glad his lips were returning to their normal colour. When he looked up, he saw Hermione watching him with interest. The knowing look in her brown eyes caused him to pale and Draco thanked his ancestors for his already pale skin._ _ _ _

____Content that Harry was as warm as he could get, Draco sat on the ground and leaned against the chair his crush was in. “I found him sitting in the courtyard covered in snow, practically asleep,” he noded to Granger when she gasped, glad she appreciated the danger Harry’d been in. “I went and woke him up as soon as I saw, warming him up as best as could. I had to get him semi-coherent because I couldn’t carry him myself and levitating a conscious person is very difficult.”_ _ _ _

____“How are we the ones that nearly killed him?” the Ron asked and Draco rolled his eyes._ _ _ _

____“Because friends normally keep an eye on their friends who have a possibility of becoming suicidal,” Draco said coldly back._ _ _ _

____“What?!” the other boy demanded._ _ _ _

____Draco stood up and glared at Ron. “I’m talking about how neither one of you even knew where he was. And if I had a friend who just lost both the people who raised him, I’d keep an eye on him and not let him go off alone!”_ _ _ _

____“Well excuse us for not being a Slytherin and prying into his life! We thought he wanted space!” Weasley shouted back._ _ _ _

____“Space? You two have given him plenty of space! You with your jokes and Granger here being so busy that she didn’t even notice he was falling apart-”_ _ _ _

____“Oh and of course, _you_ did, Malfoy?!” the redhead retorted with a smirk._ _ _ _

____“As a mater of fact I did,” Draco replied, regaining his calm and suddenly feeling a hand grab for his own. Draco looked down and was about to say something when Granger beats him to it._ _ _ _

____“What do you mean ‘just lost both the people who had raised him’?” Granger asked from her spot next to Harry, she hadn’t moved during the spat._ _ _ _

____“They admitted Lupin today as well,” Draco said with a look at Harry and knelt down next to him. “I shouldn’t have yelled,” he said softly to the green-eyed boy._ _ _ _

____“Harry, you’re awake! Did you know that _Draco Malfoy_ is claiming he saved your life?”_ _ _ _

____“He did, Ron,” Harry softly said, curling into the blankets around him. Harry glanced at Draco and locked eyes with him._ _ _ _

____“I should go, I have an idea. I’ll talk to you after breakfast tomorrow, okay?” Draco said, his grey eyes warm, and stood. Giving Harry’s hand one last squeeze, he let go and left the red and gold common room._ _ _ _

____“What in the world was that all about?!” Ron glared at Draco’s retreating back and Harry felt a mixture of warmth at the look he’d exchanged with Draco and cold at having to wait until morning._ _ _ _

____“I’m tired guys, I think I’m just-” Harry yawned and tried to stand; only Ron’s strong arms and Keeper reflexes stopped him from falling flat on his face._ _ _ _

____“Harry! What’s going on?” Hermione asked him, concern lacing her voice._ _ _ _

____“I just want to go to sleep guys...” Harry mumbled sleepily and Ron and Hermione help him up to his room, worrying about what Draco had said for a long time after the lights had gone out._ _ _ _

____~ * ~ * ~_ _ _ _

____Both Ron and Hermione tried to talk to him that morning, but Harry ignored them. How could either of them understand? Ron had such a huge family; he didn’t understand what it was like to only have two other people. Hermione, with all her smarts, had Muggle parents and couldn’t understand not knowing something._ _ _ _

____It was hell trying to drag himself out of bed when Ron finally succeeded in waking him up. His head felt full, he was cold and it felt as if he was thinking through a fog. But Draco had an idea, and Harry had to find out what it was._ _ _ _

____He was wrapped in a basic school sweater with a Weasley sweater and a scarf on top, and met Draco outside the Great Hall after grabbing a slice of toast (he wasn’t very hungry). “So?” he mumbled when the blond showed up looking perfect and not at all like he’d gotten to bed at one in the morning._ _ _ _

____Draco took a step forward and looked at Harry. “You- you don’t look alright. Should I take you to Madam Pomfrey?”_ _ _ _

____“If I’d known you would go all motherly on me, I would have stayed in bed,” Harry snapped and wrapped his arms around himself, he was cold. He looked at Draco and again saw the mask slip a little. Grey eyes looked into green and he saw that Draco was nervous. “What’s going on?” he asked Draco. The mask snaped back into place, but Harry tilted his head and blinked, green eyes wide. “Draco?” he asked softly._ _ _ _

____Draco stood tall, back straight and looked out through his mask with grey eyes that scream to him that something was wrong. Glancing along the corridor, the Slytherin made sure no one was nearby and took as step closer to the Gryffindor. “You, me,” Draco waved his hand to indicate them both. “Last night...do you regret it?”_ _ _ _

____Harry blinked and shook his head slowly. “No...I don’t,” he said softly._ _ _ _

____“Oh,” Draco blinked, surprise evident on his face. “That’s- that’s good.” Draco turned around and started walking away._ _ _ _

____Harry quickly caught up and followed Draco until his curiosity got the better of him. “Um...Draco? Where-” Harry couldn’t continue because he’d started coughing._ _ _ _

____“Harry!” Draco stopped and held the Gryffindor as coughs shook his body. “Harry...are you sure you’re okay?”_ _ _ _

____Once he stopped coughing, Harry straightened and weakly pushed Draco away. “You said you had an idea. Are you going to tell me about it or are you just going to keep asking me questions and wasting what little time I have left before your mother’s deadline?”_ _ _ _

____Draco took a step back, his grey eyes turning cold. “Yes, you’re right. Come, we’re going to Dumbledore’s offi-”_ _ _ _

____“What?”_ _ _ _

____“You need to talk to Bill Weasley, correct?”_ _ _ _

____“...Yeah?”_ _ _ _

____“We’re going to ask permission to go to Gringotts and then you’re going to talk to Bill Weasley. Now, come on,” Draco said as he walked off towards the Headmaster’s office._ _ _ _

____“Oh,” Harry mumbled and followed Draco. “Good plan.”_ _ _ _

____He finally catches up with the Slytherin when he stopped outside the stone gargoyle, a finger tapping his chin. “I’m sure you’ve been in here as a result of your many exploits, Potter. How does one get inside?”_ _ _ _

____Hurt by the blond’s use of his last name, Harry walked up and starts listing sweets. “Cockroach Clusters... Chocolate Frogs? Er...Acid Pops, Liquorice Wands, Peppermint Toads...er...”_ _ _ _

____“Fizzing Whizbees.”_ _ _ _

____The gargoyle jumpped over and the wall behind split to reveal a twisting staircase. Harry cocked an eyebrow at Draco and took a step onto the moving staircase. He turned and held an inviting hand out to Draco. “Fizzing Whizbees, really?”_ _ _ _

____Draco sneered and stepped onto the stairs; but Harry’s hand remained empty. He closed it into a fist as it hangs limply at his side. The stairs take them slowly up to the polished door and Harry went up to the door, reaching for the griffin knocker as the door opens._ _ _ _

____“Mr Potter... and Mr Malfoy, what can I do for you?” spark-filled blues eyes looked at Harry through half-moon spectacles. Headmaster Dumbledore looked from boy to boy and raised an eyebrow. “Boys?”_ _ _ _

____Harry saw Draco step forward and start to talk to Dumbledore, explaining the situation when he started coughing again. The fit didn’t last very long, but it felt as if he was being stabbed each time he coughed, and when he pulled his hand away it’s bright with blood. He whips it away on his robes, not for the first time glad they’re black and hide stains well._ _ _ _

____Dumbledore turned to Harry, smiling. “I think going to Gringotts is fine idea. You’re both of age so there is no reason not to. I give my permission and grant you the use of my fireplace to floo there. Come now, the business day is starting and you haven’t any idea how long this will take.” Dumbledore turned around and let both Harry and Draco into his office and led them to the fireplace._ _ _ _

____Harry went forward and took a handful of the green powder and threw it into the fireplace. Once the flames turn green he stepped in, shouting “Gringotts Wizarding Bank!”_ _ _ _

____Draco followed him._ _ _ _

____~ * ~ * ~_ _ _ _

____Harry tumbled out of the fireplace and into the entrance hall of the large bank. He landed on his hands and knees and stayed there as the world stopped spinning. He blinked and looked up just in time to see Draco walk regally out of the fireplace, dusting off his robes._ _ _ _

____Draco’s eyes land on Harry kneeling on the ground and he stifles the worry that shoots trough him. He watches as Harry slowly stood and followed the other boy through the silvers doors, the rhyme on the doors reminding him of his family and leaving an unpleasant taste in his mouth._ _ _ _

____He easily catches up with the Gryffindor and follows him up to a teller window. “State your business” a bored sounding goblin said as his long fingers shift through papers on his desk._ _ _ _

____“I need to see Bill Weasley,” Harry replied hoarsely, his throat raw from coughing._ _ _ _

____“What is his department?”_ _ _ _

____“Oh it’s- er... he’s a curse-breaker...that’s all I know.”_ _ _ _

____“Treasure acquisition,” The goblin states and finally looks up; dark slanted eyes flashing in the light. “What business do you have with him?”_ _ _ _

____“I need to talk to him,” Harry stiffly replies._ _ _ _

____“Do you have an appointment?” the goblin raised an eyebrow and looked at the two boys standing in front of him, suspicion evident in his actions. “What do you need to talk to a curse-breaker for?”_ _ _ _

____Draco steped up to the counter in full snotty, upper-crust, raised-with-money mode. “Excuse me? What we’re here for does not require the meddling of those on the,” he sniffs as if trying to find a polite word. “ _lower_ end of the ladder. Now, bring Mr Bill Weasley here or I’ll pull my funds and transfer them to the Malfoy vaults in Switzerland.”_ _ _ _

____The goblin had narrowed his eyes, but blinked at the mention of ‘Malfoy’. He scribbled a note onto a piece of parchment, his long fingers looking odd on the quill, and it flew off deeper into the bank. “He will be with you at his earliest convenience, place take a seat in our waiting area,” the goblin clenched his teeth and replied._ _ _ _

____Draco nodded and turned, heading for the waiting area. Harry followed a huge grin on his face. “Hey, thanks! That was real nice of you, Draco,” he decided to continue calling the blond boy by his given name, unwilling to go back to the hostile relationship they’d had before._ _ _ _

____“Yes, well having a well known name is useful.”_ _ _ _

____Harry thinks about all the people who solely want to be his friend because of his Dad’s position at the Ministry and mumbles “Sometimes...” He wondered what it would be like to be really famous._ _ _ _

____~ * ~ * ~_ _ _ _

____Harry was shivering when Bill finally showed up, and Draco was eyeing him with concern._ _ _ _

____“Harry? What’s going on?” Bill walked up to the black and blond haired kids who were waiting for him. His red hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he was smiling brightly._ _ _ _

____Harry looks up and started to stand, stumbling on the edge of his robes and fell. Draco and Bill rush forward each catching a side of Harry. “Harry!” Draco called and pulled the Gryffindor into his arms. “Harry, you’re burning up!”_ _ _ _

____Harry moaned and looked at Draco, worry in his green eyes. “Ask...Bill...” He closed his eyes and leaned into Draco, passing out._ _ _ _

____“Tell me what?”_ _ _ _

____Draco looked up and started to explain about Sirius, his parents plot and his idea that Bill might be able to help. When he’s done Bill nodded and stood. “Come to my office. I can do some research and ask around.”_ _ _ _

____Draco shook Harry a bit and he opened his eyes, dark green eyes sleepy and fever bright. “Harry? Wake up. We’re going to Bill’s office. He said he’d be able to help. You’ve got to stand up now...”_ _ _ _

____Harry groans but moved to stand, Draco helping him. With Bill’s help Draco get Harry into the back of the bank and helped him sit in a desk in the treasure acquisition department._ _ _ _

____Bill left them alone as he went asking questions of his friends in other departments. Draco brought a glass of water to Harry, making him drink it down and hold the ice in his mouth; he was trying desperately to get Harry’s fever down._ _ _ _

____Harry looked at Draco and reached out to the blond. “D-Draco?”_ _ _ _

____The blond stepped forward, concern in his grey eyes. “Yes?”_ _ _ _

____Harry grabbed the other’s hand and pulled him closer. “Draco...what happened last night? I’m glad. I-I don’t-” A series of coughs erupted from Harry and his body shook with the force of them._ _ _ _

____“Harry! Merlin, I’ve got to get you to a Healer...”_ _ _ _

____“I d-don’t want t-to go back...”_ _ _ _

____“Back? Back to where?”_ _ _ _

____“To w-what we were b-before...” Harry said softly, clenching Draco’s hand._ _ _ _

____Draco stood there, stunned. “Harry...” he knelt down, face to face with the boy. “Are you sure? I mean...two men together...it’s not look on very well. And your friends, they hate me-”_ _ _ _

____“I know it’s not l-looked on very w-well, but you forgot w-who I was basically r-raised with. I don’t know why you think R-Remus was admitted to S-St Mungo’s, but it’s not because he’s S-Sirius’ best friend,” Harry grinned and shook his head. “I’ve never b-been interested in girls Draco... And u-until you kissed me, I-I never thought guys at H-Hogwarts would be okay w-with it...”_ _ _ _

____“Most aren’t, but there are places to go and people to talk to,” Draco smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Actually there is a whole underground network for homosexuals at school.” Draco gently brushed Harry’s hair from his face and smiled._ _ _ _

____Harry reached for Draco as the door opened and Bill walked in. “Er- well...” he stammered and looked away._ _ _ _

____Draco turned and looked at Bill, an eyebrow raised suggestively. Harry blushed and looked away from Bill, who laughed._ _ _ _

____Draco stood and made his way around the chair, standing behind it protectively. “Well? What have you found out?”_ _ _ _

____Bill sat down on a desk and smiled. “I’ve talked to the people who helped set up the inheritance and those who are experts on old vaults and curses and things. It seems that there is a curse or charm that makes Sirius able to will the money to you, but you cannot transfer the money to anyone’s vault that’s not related to you by blood. So there’s no way the Malfoys can access the money.”_ _ _ _

____“Thank Merlin-” Harry started and then another coughing attack comes. This one shook his whole body and went on and on. Draco and Bill both supported him, one on each side, as he coughed, tears streaming down his face. Each cough caused a shooting pain in Harry’s chest and he was trembling. Finally the coughing stopped and Harry tried to straighten, pulling his hand away from his face._ _ _ _

____It was covered in blood._ _ _ _

____He heard Draco shout his name but the blackness surrounded him and he welcomed it’s end to the pain._ _ _ _

____~ * ~ * ~_ _ _ _

____Harry opened his eyes and then quickly shut them again—the bright light is blinding. “Urgh...”_ _ _ _

____Three voices call out his name almost at once. He moaned again and felt the presence of two people on his right side and a third on left. The one on his left reached over and grabbed his hand and Harry knew that it was Draco._ _ _ _

____“Wha ha’ind?” Harry says, trying to say ‘what happened’._ _ _ _

____He heard Draco’s snort and tried opening his eyes again. He was in the hospital wing. He saw tired grey eyes on his left and brown and blue look back at him on his right._ _ _ _

____“How long?” He grunted and Ron and Hermione shared a look._ _ _ _

____“Little over a week,” Draco answered for them._ _ _ _

____Harry turned to him, panic in his eyes. What he found there wasn’t reassuring. “A week?” his voice broke on the last word and he felt numb. If he’d been asleep a week it meant he’d missed Mrs Malfoy’s deadline. Already he knew the look on Draco’s face. The way his face seemed cold, hard, yet that his grey eyes are like sliver tells Harry he was hurting._ _ _ _

____He turned to Ron and Hermione and saw that Ron was holding her in his arms. Her eyes were red and he can tell they’ve both been crying._ _ _ _

____“Bloody hell,” he moaned and rolled to his left, pulling the covers up and over his head. He was alone. Sirius was gone and therefore Remus was a good as gone. No one is left..._ _ _ _

____“Harry?” Draco softly asked. His hand was rubbing circles onto his back and Harry started to cry. Remus used to do that when he was younger and home from school, haunted by nightmares. “Harry, do you want to know what happened?”_ _ _ _

____Half of him wanted to scream at Draco that he was insane, of _course_ he didn’t want to know, how could he? And the other half wanted to understand. So he nodded and let the tears fall, soaking the pillow case._ _ _ _

____“You passed out at the bank and Bill helped me get you back here, where Madame Pomfrey took care of you. You gave yourself pneumonia sitting out in the snow like you did. Then-”_ _ _ _

____“Then he told Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall about what he had found out and came to get us out of class,” Hermione continued for him. “He explained what you two had done and where you’d gone. We were so worried for you Harry!”_ _ _ _

____“Yeah, mate. You scared us, disappearing like that,” Ron grumbled._ _ _ _

____“Dumbledore, McGonagall and Professor Snape tried to tell my parents that their demands were impossible, but they couldn’t be found. And then two days ago-”_ _ _ _

____“Why did no one come tell me Potter was awake?” Madame Pomfrey bustled into the room and pulled the covers off of Harry. After she examined him, she turned to Ron, Hermione and Draco. “Only one of you can stay, who will it be? Come now, pick someone.”_ _ _ _

____Draco stayed quiet, knowing he wasn’t liked by the other two, but Hermione looked at him. He looked so different, shoulders hunched, blond hair slightly dishevelled and his skin has taken on a grey tone. She stood and pulled Ron up with her. “Ma-Draco’s going to stay, Madame Pomfrey.”_ _ _ _

____“What? That gi-” Ron started but Hermione covered his mouth and pulled him out of the Hospital Wing._ _ _ _

____“Alright. Mr Malfoy. But don’t stay to long...” she warned and walked away._ _ _ _

____Draco sat on the edge of the bed, Harry leaning on him and wraped his arms around the boy he’s been crushing on for a long time. “Well...do you want me to continue?”_ _ _ _

____“Yes...” the Gryffindor whispered resignedly and curled around the Draco._ _ _ _

____“Three days ago was the cut off date my mother had given you. The Healers at St Mungo’s had been told about the threat and were watching Black carefully...but it wasn’t enough. At the stroke of midnight two nights ago, something happened. The Healers still don’t know what it was, but...Black had a seizure and then collapsed...dead...” Draco held the other boy as he cried, rubbing his back and making soothing sounds._ _ _ _

____Some time late, when his sobs finally slowed, Draco ran his fingers through the black hair. “Would you like me to continue?” A nod encouraged him and he did. “I think she was keeping him alive with some kind of link and when the time ran out, she severed it. I knew she and father had left in case some way a resolve was found. After what happened to your godfather, I left and confronted my parents. I told them about how I didn’t believe in wizard superiority anymore, how Gr- Hermione’s the smartest girl in the school. I said that what they had done was horrible and how leaving like that was cheating...”_ _ _ _

____Harry looked up at Draco, eyes wide. “You what?!”_ _ _ _

____Draco looked down at him and smiled. “I’m not done yet...My mother went nuts and my father barely controlled her. She was the one behind the plan. It may look like my father is the evil one but that’s just because my mother has a pretty face and knows how to use it. Well she went off and my father got mad and- well...I’ve been disinherited...”_ _ _ _

____Harry gasped and stared at Draco. “Y-you’re serious? What are you going to do? What-”_ _ _ _

____Draco smiled and leaned down, cutting off Harry’s ramblings with a kiss. A gasp from Harry tells him he’s been successful in diverting the other boys attention and he rewards himself by slipping his tongue past Harry’s lips, goading another gasp from him._ _ _ _

____~ * ~ * ~_ _ _ _

____“I don’t think I can do this,” Harry stated uncertainly as he looked out the window._ _ _ _

____Draco came up behind him, handing Harry his gloves and wrapping the red and gold scarf around his neck. Leaning close, the blond placed a gentle hand under the other’s chin and looked him in the eye. “I’ll be here, always.”_ _ _ _

____Draco took the Gryffindor’s hand, “You’re a bloody Gryffindor, your brave and all that. You’ll be fine,” he teased lightly and they went to the cemetery._ _ _ _

____Harry stands next to the coffin and looks around, trying to see past the tears that are threatening to blur his vision. It’s a decent sized crowd, though he can’t appreciate it well. The air is misty with all the exhalation of the people around them. It’s cold, the sky is grey, and so are the people in their monochrome winter cloaks._ _ _ _

____Remus was on his left, and his mother and father are across from him. His father was having trouble meeting his eyes and Harry clenched his gloved hands into fists. Draco’s left hand took Harry’s right fist and slowly he relaxed. A movement out of the corner of his eye revealed Tonks, a cousin of Sirius’ and her mother Andromeda, who Harry knew well because of Sirius’ relationship with her. Behind them Harry could see Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and a few people at about the right age that he guessed they were classmates of the Marauders. He saw that Hagrid and the whole Weasley clan came as well._ _ _ _

____Ron and Hermione detached from the group to come up to him, still shooting wary glances at Draco. “Hey, Harry.” Ron cautionly greeted._ _ _ _

____Harry smiled at them and steped forward, opening his arms for the hug Hermione gave him. “I’m sorry I’ve been so weird lately. This has just been…hard. D-do you think you can accept this?” Harry asked softly._ _ _ _

____Ron looked at Draco and visibly tried not to wince. Hermione noticed and hit him upside the head. “Of course we can!”_ _ _ _

____“Y-yeah. Sure, mate. Might take a little getting used to…”_ _ _ _

____“But that doesn’t mean anything. Life’s changing. We’re almost done with seventh year and we’ll have to decide on the future. We’re going to have to get used to change.” Hermione said and nodded her head decisively, taking Ron’s hand and pulling him to stand next to Draco as the ceremony began._ _ _ _

____As the man started to speak, (nonsense about peace on the other side and happiness while here and remembering the departed with fond memories) Harry reached over with his other hand and took Remus’._ _ _ _

____The man started as if someone had attacked. He looked down at his hand and then up at Harry. Unable to smile, Harry just squeezed his godfather’s hand and nodded._ _ _ _

____Remus nodded back and then noticed Draco next to Harry, his body stiffened and his hand tightened it’s grip. He’d been so lost in Sirius’ illness and death that Harry had never gotten the chance to explain about Draco._ _ _ _

____Harry tugged on Remus’ hand and the other finally looked at him. Harry leaned back, showing Remus his other hand. The hand that’s holding Draco’s._ _ _ _

____Remus’ yellow eyes widen then narrow, speaking volumes without a word._ _ _ _

____Harry sighed and let go of Remus’ hand. _I thought that_ maybe _Remus would understand. But no… Sirius is gone and now all I have is Draco…__ _ _ _

____Harry tried to focus again on what was being said, but the man seemed to have just finished. Harry waited, expecting someone to start talking, but no one did. The coffin was lowered into the ground at the Gordric’s Hollow cemetery and slowly the people start to file pass Harry and Remus._ _ _ _

____Harry can only nod grimly at the people as they talk to him. On hand was holding Draco’s and the other was balled so tightly into a fist, he was slightly worried about the damage he might do to his fingers. He tried not to grip Draco’s too hard, but he was sure he was at the same time. He could hear the _POP_ as people Dissapparated one by one._ _ _ _

____Slowly the number of people lessened and it was only Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione, Harry’s mum and the Marauders. _But how can they be the Marauders?_ the thought hit Harry like a blow and he was fighting back tears again. _Sirius is_ gone _. Can there be the Marauders without all of them?_ _ _ _ _

____Everyone was standing in a circle and a kind of stunned silence hung in the air. The first to drift off was Peter, after mumbling something about being needed at home. Some time later (though Harry can’t tell how much time had passed) Harry’s mum is next, squeezing his shoulder as she walks by. Her excuse was to make sure there was food in the house and Harry’s trunk was packed (Harry can’t help but think that had always been Remus’ job). Ron and Hermione leave soon after that, at the insistent calling of Mrs. Weasley. James wandered off a bit later, after an uncomfortable cough and a look at Draco._ _ _ _

____Then only Remus was left and the sun was setting. Harry’s eyes locked on the headstone, with its newly turned earth, and finally let the tears fall. His emotions started spinning. Sorrow at loosing one of the men that raised him. Pain as he tried to understand what he was going to do and how even _Remus_ seemed to have begrudged his partner. It was understandable, given what his family had done, but it still _hurt_! And anger. Anger that he would finally figure out how to best the Malfoys but became sick and couldn’t meet the deadline. The anger fed the sorrow (he had lost Sirius before he could help him) and the sorrow fed the pain (Sirius would have understood about leaving one’s family and everything they stood for) and the pain fed the anger (no one was understanding what Draco had given up, and no one wanted to try). With his emotions spinning around and around themselves, feeding off the others and growing stronger, Harry can feel his grip on his magic loosening…_ _ _ _

____The sunset was all reds and purples and it looked like spilled blood to Draco but he stayed a steady presence for Harry. He casted a warming charm on both of them, not knowing when Harry will consent to leaving the gravesite._ _ _ _

____It went dark quickly, and the temperature dropped fast and soon Lily (accompanied surprisingly by Snape) came back to bring them home. Snape walked over to Remus and leans down to talk to him, but it doesn’t seem like he hears._ _ _ _

____Lilly moved to take Harry’s hand, but Draco stepped up and blocked her way. “Don’t touch him, Mrs. Potter. His emotions are volatile and he’s never had good control over his magic when his emotions are chaotic. I’m afraid if you touch him, the surprise might set him off. I’ll make sure he gets home, don’t worry.”_ _ _ _

____She looked at Draco and for the first time saw the protectiveness in him. She was startled at how fragile Harry looked and how formable Draco seemed to be. Nodding she stepped over to join Snape and Remus. “Remus? Remus, we need to take you back home. Should we do a side-along?” a pause in which Remus barely seemed to register Lily’s or Snape’s presence and Snape sighs, taking the man’s arm with his hand. “Yes. I think a side-along would be best.”_ _ _ _

____A pop from behind Harry pulled him back to the present and away from the spiral his emotions were pulling him into. He glanced at Draco and realized what that ‘pop’ must have meant._ _ _ _

____Finally they were alone._ _ _ _

____Harry collapsed to the ground, his energy spent from holding himself together in front of everyone. Though Draco tried to catch him, the blond’s frame was too slight and Harry’s weight and build just pulled him right through the other’s arms._ _ _ _

____“Harry! Harry!” Draco cried and knelt on the ground, surprising Harry. He leant forward and wrapped his arms around Harry, holding him close in the winter’s chill. “I’m here. I’m here, Harry. I’ll always be here... You’ll get through this- _We’ll_ get through this. I’m here, I’m here…”_ _ _ _

____Harry leaned in to the embrace and wrapped his arms around Draco’s waist, holding him as close as he could, almost as if his life depended on it. _I may have lost a father. Lost a friend. But I’ve also gained one, and a love. Draco says he’ll never leave me- that he loves me, and I’m starting to believe him… Who else would stay out here in the cold with me? This is going to be hard, but…I can get past it. I think I can make if I have Draco…_ Harry smiled and looked up at Draco, trust and a flicker of hope in his green eyes. _Maybe we can figure out our Animagus forms together.__ _ _ _

____Draco noticed Harry looking at him and put one gloved hand on Harry’s cheek, leaning down for a kiss that is full of all the love, protection and care he wanted to give to Harry and simultaneously Apparated them home._ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for a fest on LJ ages ago, and I'm just starting to re-read and move my stuff here. FYI once Remus heals, he gets his head out of his ass and loves Draco, so don't worry :) Oh and I'm on tumblr with the same name, and used to be tiger-flame on LJ


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